1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reconfigurable user interface for a modular patient monitor, and more particularly, to a user interface which recognizes when new parameter modules and parameters are added to or removed from the patient monitor, automatically reconfigures the monitor's display to display the new parameters, and automatically updates the menu selection options for the display. A flash box on the menu is activated by certain conditions to allow rapid navigation to the most likely menu item to be selected.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, each patient in a hospital bed may have his or her vital signs monitored by a multi-parameter monitor. Such monitors are typically preconfigured to monitor certain parameters only and may not be capable of monitoring all of the necessary parameters for a particular patient. For example, every patient may or may not have an invasive line that needs monitoring. With a modular patient monitor, a single invasive pressure module can be shared among multiple monitors because it is very unlikely that more than one patient will require invasive pressure monitoring at any one time. Accordingly, a modular patient monitor, known as the DINAMAP.TM. MPS Select Monitor, has been developed by the present assignee to monitor patients in acute care settings such as critical care, emergency room, radiology, labor and delivery, and the operating room whereby each monitor may be reconfigured by adding or subtracting parameter modules. Using this monitor, an operator can view, record, and recall clinical data derived from each patient parameter. Separate, removable parameter modules mate with the main processor during use to selectively, and simultaneously, collect patient data such as end tidal CO.sub.2 respiration rate, the patient's heart rate, the patient's blood pressure (invasive and noninvasive), the patient's temperature, the patient's electrocardiogram, the oxygen saturation (SpO.sub.2) of the patient's arterial blood, and/or the patient's respiration rate.
This monitor is specifically designed to accept many different combinations of parameter modules so that the monitor is completely reconfigurable to handle the specific monitoring needs of a particular patient. For example, the monitor may accept up to nine different parameter modules, where each module measures one or more different patient parameters. As a result, a separate monitor for each parameter is unnecessary, and it is also unnecessary to provide an additional expensive multi-parameter unit when only a few patient parameters need to be monitored.
Since the DINAMAP.TM. MPS Select Monitor needs to monitor multiple parameters from multiple modules, a modified input/output interface is needed which determines which parameter module is connected, in which port the parameter module is connected, and which parameters need to be communicated to/from the display processor. Since the parameter modules may be added and removed at any time, whether the monitor is on or off, it is desired that the input/output interface immediately detect a changed configuration and promptly adapt to the new configuration automatically. Also, the input/output interface should allow rapid navigation to those items most likely to be selected from the options menu, so as to save time in potentially life-saving situations. The present invention has been designed to meet these needs.